Understanding CINV
What is chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting?
Chemotherapy is a type of medicine designed to help rid your body of cancer cells. Nausea (an unpleasant feeling in the back of your throat or stomach) and vomiting (throwing up) are two of the most common side effects of cancer chemotherapy. When nausea and vomiting are caused by chemotherapy, it is referred to as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, or CINV.
About 70%-80% of all patients receiving chemotherapy may experience CINV if not properly prevented. Thanks to many new advances in the prevention of CINV, you don’t have to feel sick while undergoing chemotherapy. Preventing CINV can help you maintain the quality of life you had before starting treatment. Not feeling nauseous helps you feel able to complete normal household tasks, continue with work, and spend time with family and friends.
Are some kinds of chemotherapy more likely to cause CINV than others?
Yes. The likelihood that a chemotherapy will make you sick is called its emetogenic (eh-meh-tow-JEH-nik) potential.
Highly emetogenic chemotherapy is highly likely to cause nausea and vomiting. Moderately emetogenic chemotherapy is likely to cause nausea and vomiting.
How do I know if I will have CINV?
Some people are more likely to experience nausea and vomiting; others won’t experience it at all.
Risk factors:
- Type, dose, frequency, and combination of chemotherapy medications given
- Younger age
- Female
- History of motion sickness or morning sickness
- History of previous CINV
- Little or no alcohol use
How might CINV impact my daily routine?
Living with CINV can make it hard to function from day to day and may
cause uncertainty or distress. Feeling nauseous can keep you from performing
ordinary daily activities like vacuuming or even taking a shower. Because
of this, patients with CINV may not feel like continuing their therapy.
But you may be able to avoid feeling nauseous from chemotherapy.
*ALOXI is used in adults to help prevent the nausea and vomiting that can happen on the day of treatment with certain chemotherapies or occur days later following certain chemotherapies moderately likely to cause nausea and vomiting.
Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking other medications or if you have or develop severe heartbeat changes. The most common side effects of ALOXI are headache and constipation. ALOXI is available by prescription only. For more information, please see the Patient Product Information for ALOXI.
This site does not contain everything that is known about ALOXI. If you would like to know more, talk to your healthcare professional.